Fraud and Scam Protection in the United Kingdom
Reviewed by the Commoner Law Editorial Team. Sourced from UK Acts of Parliament, statutory instruments, and official guidance. Written in plain language for general understanding — this is educational content, not legal advice. Our editorial standards
What is this right?
UK fraud protection is a layered patchwork — partly because the categories of scam keep shifting and the law has had to play catch-up.
- Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974: probably the single most useful consumer protection in British law. Pay any part of a purchase between £100 and £30,000 on a credit card and the card issuer is jointly liable with the seller. Faulty goods, no delivery, the company collapsed — claim from the bank. The £1-on-the-deposit trick (paying as little as £1 of a £5,000 purchase by credit card) is enough to trigger Section 75 over the full amount.
- Chargeback: for debit cards, sub-£100 purchases, or anything outside Section 75. Not a statutory right — a Visa/Mastercard/Amex scheme rule. Typical deadline is 120 days from purchase or expected delivery.
- Authorised Push Payment (APP) fraud: from October 2024, if you were tricked into sending money to a scammer (impersonation, fake invoices, romance fraud), your bank must reimburse you in most cases under the mandatory reimbursement rules — up to £85,000. This was driven by years of campaigning by Which? and victim groups after the Payment Systems Regulator found banks were refusing legitimate APP claims at appalling rates.
When does it apply?
- Section 75 applies to credit card purchases between £100 and £30,000 — even if you only paid a small part on the credit card.
- Chargeback applies to debit and credit card payments of any amount — contact your bank within 120 days.
- APP reimbursement applies when you are a victim of a scam and sent money directly to the fraudster (not when you authorised a legitimate payment that went wrong).
- Report fraud to Action Fraud (the national fraud reporting centre) — 0300 123 2040 or online.
What to Do If You Have Been Scammed or Defrauded in the UK
Speed matters more in fraud than almost any other consumer area. The first hour after you realise can be the difference between recovery and total loss.
- Call your bank or card issuer the moment you spot it. Most fraud lines run 24/7 — the number is on the back of your card.
- For credit card disputes, file a Section 75 claim in writing. The card issuer has 8 weeks to respond before you can escalate to the Financial Ombudsman.
- For debit card transactions, ask for a chargeback through the scheme.
- Report to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 — they feed reports to the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau, which is what catches the patterns behind organised scam operations.
- If the bank says no, complain to the Financial Ombudsman Service. Their decisions bind the bank if you accept them, and they side with consumers in a meaningful proportion of APP cases.
What should you NOT do?
- Don't delay. Section 75 has a 6-year limitation but chargeback typically expires at 120 days.
- Don't delete anything. Emails, messages, screenshots of fake websites, transaction records, phone logs — keep all of it. Cases are won on this evidence.
- Don't let embarrassment stop you reporting. Sophisticated scams catch barristers, IT professionals, and accountants. Action Fraud receives well over a quarter of a million reports a year.
Common Questions
When does fraud and scam protection apply?
Section 75 applies to credit card purchases between £100 and £30,000 — even if you only paid a small part on the credit card.Chargeback applies to debit and credit card payments of any amount — contact your bank within 120 days.APP reimbursement applies when you are a victim of a scam and sent money directly to the fraudster (not when you authorised a legitimate payment that went wrong).Report fraud to Action Fraud (the national fraud reporting centre) — 0300 123 2040 or online.
What should I do if I've been scammed or lost money to fraud in the UK?
Speed matters more in fraud than almost any other consumer area. The first hour after you realise can be the difference between recovery and total loss.Call your bank or card issuer the moment you spot it. Most fraud lines run 24/7 — the number is on the back of your card.For credit card disputes, file a Section 75 claim in writing. The card issuer has 8 weeks to respond before you can escalate to the Financial Ombudsman.For debit card transactions, ask for a chargeback through the scheme.Report to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 — they feed reports to the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau, whi...
What mistakes should I avoid with fraud and scam protection?
Don't delay. Section 75 has a 6-year limitation but chargeback typically expires at 120 days.Don't delete anything. Emails, messages, screenshots of fake websites, transaction records, phone logs — keep all of it. Cases are won on this evidence.Don't let embarrassment stop you reporting. Sophisticated scams catch barristers, IT professionals, and accountants. Action Fraud receives well over a quarter of a million reports a year.